“It’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener,” the batter says after his maiden ODI hundred

Hemant Brar04-Dec-20254:31

Gaikwad: I decided I’d try to be consistent in any game this year

Ruturaj Gaikwad says he was “pretty much confident” of adapting to the No. 4 position despite having never batted there previously in 50-over cricket. Before the South Africa series, Gaikwad had batted 86 times in List A cricket but never below No. 3.He started the series with 8 off 14 balls in Ranchi before scoring 105 off 83 balls in the second ODI in Raipur, which he said was “definitely” his best innings across formats and levels.”[The team management] told me that I would be batting at No. 4 this series,” Gaikwad said after the match. “I feel it’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener. So I took it that way.Related

Markram ton trumps Kohli, Gaikwad centuries for nervy win

Shadowing the king: When Gaikwad matched Kohli shot for shot

When South Africa and India went off the scale

“In the one-day format, even when I was opening the innings, I always tried to make sure that whenever I was set, I was able to bat till the 45th over and capitalise after that. So I knew somewhat how to play between overs 11 to 40, how to rotate strike, what the boundary options were. So I was pretty much confident about how I could go through [the innings].”It was just a matter of how I could play my first 10-15 balls and after that, the process remains the same. I have been working really hard, and obviously been in good touch as well. So I wanted to make sure that whenever I am set, I make it a big one.”Gaikwad was involved in a 195-run stand with Virat Kohli, who scored his second hundred in as many games. When asked about the partnership, Gaikwad said it was something “you dream of”.Virat Kohli gives Ruturaj Gaikwad a pat on the back after the latter tonned up•AFP/Getty Images”I have been able to witness him since last one week now,” he said. “Whatever practice sessions we have had, he is batting unbelievably well… the amount of time he has and how he is able to convert it in the match as well. And even this game, I enjoyed a lot. [But] mostly, I was trying to be in my zone and not really think about how he is batting or how he is able to score runs.”The chat in between was very clear. We had set 5-5-, 10-10-run target and [discussed] how to manoeuvre the gaps or how to hit those boundaries, how we can rotate strike. So the chat was around that. I think we had really good running between the wickets as well. Obviously, you dream of these kinds of moments and to be able to have that kind of partnership, I really enjoyed a lot.”Before this series, Gaikwad last played an ODI for India in 2023. Since then, he has fallen behind the pecking order as opener, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill being India’s first choice, followed by Yashasvi Jaiswal. He got a chance in this series only because Shreyas Iyer was injured. How does he see this competition?”I think all these things are better if you don’t think too much [about them]. Because [if you do so], you are not in the present, and whatever matches are in front of you, you don’t have that much focus and preparation for them.”In the last Vijay Hazare Trophy, I couldn’t make that many runs [194 in seven innings]. Obviously, some things were going on in my mind. But after that, I thought whichever match it is, whether a club game, red-ball format, or white-ball format, I will make sure I try to stay consistent. I realised that my duty is to score runs as much as possible. And if I get an opportunity, well and good. Even if I don’t, it’s still fine.”

Wayne Rooney was ridiculed after admitting it was “hard” to watch his wife Coleen during her stint on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, revealing he struggled emotionally while alone in Plymouth, as she became a fan favourite in the jungle. The former Manchester United striker explained why viewing her on the show left him feeling overwhelmed during a difficult period in his managerial career.

• Wayne and Coleen Rooney's differing ends to 2024

  Coleen’s appearance on I’m A Celebrity in late 2024 became one of the most talked-about moments of the show’s recent history, as she entered the Australian jungle after years of avoiding reality TV. Her decision came at a time when her young children were older, allowing her to commit to a long stint away from home. Coleen embraced the challenge head-on, participating in 'Bushtucker Trials' and endearing herself to viewers with her competitiveness and resilience.

  While Coleen flourished on screen and ultimately finished as the runner-up, her success contrasted sharply with Wayne’s struggles back in England. The United legend was enduring a turbulent spell as manager of Plymouth Argyle, battling a disastrous run of results and mounting pressure. As Coleen captured the nation’s attention, Wayne was facing relentless scrutiny and the stress of a looming relegation fight. This unique overlap created widespread public discussion around the couple, with many viewers joking about Wayne struggling while his wife dominated the headlines.

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  Wayne reveals why it was 'hard' to watch Coleen on I'm A Celeb…

  Coleen revealed on why she finally agreed to join the show, saying: "I just felt like the time was right. The kids were all a little bit older. I think in the past, the kids have been too young to leave them for that amount of time. But, also, I'd made this decision to start doing some better work again. So I thought that would be the good a good start."

  She added that although she was not naturally drawn to reality TV, this particular show had always appealed to her competitive side. "Also, I think it's I've never been one for reality TV. Like, there's not much I would do. I've always said if I was to do one, I'd do that. I'm quite competitive."

  Wayne, meanwhile, admitted that the experience of watching the show was unexpectedly difficult for him. "It was hard watching, you know," he confessed to a spate of laughs, prompting the interviewer to ask why. "I was away in Plymouth, so I was on my own as well," Rooney continued, while Coleen laughed beside him as he recalled his lonely viewing nights.

  The former England captain added that the impact took him by surprise. "So in the apartment on my own, so I'm watching it, and then it was, it was emotional."

• Coleen's positive public image after I'm A Celeb…

  Coleen’s appearance on the show coincided with one of the highest-profile public redemptions in recent celebrity TV history. After years of being at the centre of the so-called 'Wagatha Christie' saga involving Rebekah Vardy, she used the jungle setting to reshape her public image. Her warmth, humour, and willingness to take on difficult tasks quickly made her a favourite among viewers, and her journey to the final cemented her as one of the breakout stars of the series.

  At the same time, Wayne was enduring a managerial nightmare at Plymouth Argyle. His team entered a severe slump, conceding goals at an alarming rate and failing to secure wins during the very weeks Coleen was excelling on television. The pressure intensified with each match, ultimately resulting in Rooney’s departure from the club on December 31, 2024.

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  Coleen's TV future — Wayne's uncertain managerial career

  With Coleen’s public profile rejuvenated and her popularity soaring, there has been speculation that she may pursue further media projects following her successful stint on I’m A Celebrity. Her openness about the experience suggests she is more comfortable stepping back into the spotlight than at any point in recent years. Whether she chooses more television or focuses on other professional ventures remains to be seen.

  For Wayne, the future is more uncertain. After leaving Plymouth, he has been linked to several coaching roles but remains at a crossroads following another setback in his managerial career. The Manchester United legend has been taking up punditry duties and working with the BBC's 'The Wayne Rooney Show' to keep himself occupied as he decides upon his future.

Wilfried Zaha is returning to the Ivory Coast fold after a prolonged spell away, with the 33-year-old earning a surprise recall for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. The Charlotte FC winger had been absent from the national team squad for two years, having initially slipped out of contention following disagreements with former coach Patrice Beaumelle. As a consequence, Zaha missed Les Éléphants' triumphant campaign on home soil in 2023.

Getty ImagesZaha backed to shine with Ivory Coast

Zaha's omission ahead of the previous continental tournament had seemed to signal a permanent break. Yet, Emerse Fae, now steering the champions into their title defence, revealed on Tuesday that he had spent months rebuilding a relationship with the winger as he sought fresh impetus in attack. The former Crystal Palace star, now on loan at MLS side Charlotte from Galatasaray, has impressed the national team staff sufficiently to convince them that his creativity remains an asset. After the conclusion of the 2025 MLS campaign, Zaha started training with English non-league side Croydon Athletic earlier this week. Fae, speaking on national television as he named a 26-man squad, explained that Zaha’s return was grounded in his capacity to unpick stubborn defences.

"We saw that we need experienced players. In Zaha's case, his ability to beat defenders and his current form worked in his favour," Fae said. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMajor absentees: Pepe and Adingra miss out

While Zaha’s name returns to the squad list, two other superstars have been left out. Nicolas Pepe, once Arsenal’s record signing and now at Villarreal, will not be travelling to Morocco. The 30-year-old has featured regularly in La Liga this term but missed international camps in November, and Fae has opted to move forward without him.

Meanwhile, Simon Adingra, whose assists in the 2023 AFCON final inspired the Ivory Coast to victory over Nigeria, is another notable omission. The 23-year-old has endured a frustrating start to the season with Sunderland, managing only nine appearances and four starts. Fae admitted that fierce competition for wide roles had left the Brighton academy graduate out of contention.

"Simon has faced fierce competition for his position," Fae said. "He's struggling to earn a starting spot (at his club, Sunderland). We had to do without his qualities when making our selection."

However, Manchester United star Amad Diallo is part of the 26-man squad. Amad is a regular starter under manager Ruben Amorim, and the forward has been rewarded for his consistency at Old Trafford. He has already made 14 appearances in the Premier League this season, including 13 starts, and has one goal and three assists to show for his efforts. The fixture against Bournemouth next Monday should be his last for the Red Devils before he joins his national team-mates for the AFCON. He could miss up to seven games for United, including one FA Cup fixture against Brighton and the Manchester derby on January 17, if the Ivory Coast compete in the final, scheduled a day later. 

Meanwhile, Sebastien Haller, the match-winner in the 2024 final against Nigeria, is again part of the squad. The squad announcement also confirmed that defender Wilfried Singo will miss the tournament through injury, depriving Fae of another experienced option.

Ivory Coast set up for Group F challenge

With the selections confirmed, Ivory Coast now turn their attention to the defence of their African title. They open their campaign against Mozambique in Marrakech on 24 December, before contests with Cameroon and Gabon in a challenging Group F.

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Ivory Coast squad in full

Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Caykur Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)

Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolves), Willy Boly (Nottingham Forest), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Christopher Operi (Istanbul Basaksehir), Armel Zohouri (Iberia 1999)

Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Rennes), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Metz), Christ Inao Oulai (Trabzonspor), Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (Maribor)

Forwards: Vakoun Bayo (Udinese), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Sebastien Haller (Utrecht), Jean-Philippe Krasso (Paris FC), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte)

Reserves: Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Guiagon Parfait (Royal Charleroi)

It's been eight years, but the Houston Astros can't rid themselves from their sign-stealing scandal that swept across baseball.

The Astros mashed the Los Angeles Dodgers 18–1 on Friday at Dodger Stadium, tagging starter Ben Casparius for six runs on nine hits in three innings—and blowing up reliever Noah Davis's ERA with 10 runs in 1 1/3 innings of work.

In the third inning of that offensive masterclass, Astros rookie Cam Smith hammered a double off the wall in center field. At the time, the Astros led 4–1 and had been raking against Casparius all afternoon. SportsNet LA analyst Orel Hershiser couldn't help himself but mention the trash-banging scandal of 2017.

"I don't want to open an old wound," Hershiser said. "But in some ways, they're swinging at these breaking balls like they know what is coming."

Hershiser, of course, is referencing the Astros' scandal during their championship season in 2017 when the team was found to have illegally used video cameras to steal signs from opponents during games. Houston used a camera in center field to view the sign from the opposing catcher, and a player or team staffer would give an audio cue—like banging a trash can—to tell the batter which pitch was coming next.

Only two players remain on the Astros from that '17 squad—Jose Altuve and right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

Since the news story broke in 2019 about Houston's cheating scandal, MLB has cracked down on video usage in dugouts. But the scars from that incident remain, especially among the Dodgers faithful, who watched their team lose the 2017 World Series to the Astros in seven games.

If Memorial Day is the first serious checkpoint of the MLB season, then the Fourth of July qualifies as the second. The regular season is now past its midpoint as teams hanging around .500 must soon decide whether they’ll be buyers or sellers with the trade deadline less than a month away.

As our long-term views on the 2025 season continue to crystallize, let's recap what's gone on thus far and what could lie ahead.

1. Which team has been the pleasant surprise of the season?

Tom Verducci: The Tampa Bay Rays. The schedule is a bear. Only 16 home games in July and August. A minor league ballpark for a home. An ace (Shane McClanahan) still not back. But this is the hardest throwing staff in recorded history and Junior Caminero swings one of the two fastest bats in baseball. They have the best record in baseball against winning teams. They have one of the most athletic teams in the game, even if they tend to be careless on the bases. Believe it. The Rays are for real.

Stephanie Apstein: The timing of this question is funny. A few weeks ago, I probably would have said the New York Mets or the San Francisco Giants, but a couple of losing streaks later, they're in danger of becoming the answers to question 2 (see below). So I think I'll go with the Tampa Bay Rays. In one sense their success is unsurprising, because this is what they do most years, but keep in mind that most years they don't have to do it in an open-air minor league ballpark where game-time temperatures regularly hit the mid-90s. 

Nick Selbe: The Toronto Blue Jays seemed to be nearing the end of a contention window with last season's 74-win campaign and a core group of players that seemed closer to the decline phase than their primes. Instead, Toronto doubled down, signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year extension worth half a billion dollars and adding Anthony Santander to a five-year deal worth nearly $100 million. The latter hasn't worked out so far, but it hasn't prevented the Blue Jays from keeping pace with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East, Pythagorean record be damned. Toronto might not have the pitching depth at present to keep up this pace, but its offense looks dangerous enough to remain in the division hunt throughout the second half.

Ryan Phillips: The Chicago Cubs have arrived a year (or more) earlier than expected. While the pitching has been suspect, Chicago's offense has been relentless. Pete Crow-Armstrong has become a legitimate star and leads the National League in WAR, while Kyle Tucker is second. The Northsiders are a ton of fun and are baseball’s biggest surprise for their dominance (MLB’s best run differential) if not for their division standing. 

Will Laws: Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that the Rays have figured out how to stay competitive with a bottom-five payroll. Nevertheless, SI predicted them to finish 76–86 after they missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2018. Instead, they're just a game out of first place in the AL East with the AL's third-best run differential thanks to a strong, balanced offense and anold-school rotation that leads the junior circuit in innings pitched.

2. Which team has been the biggest disappointment?

TV: The Baltimore Orioles. I didn’t like their pitching depth coming into the season, and it got exposed right away. The continued decline of Adley Rutschman is a problem and some touted prospects have not stepped up while veterans like Tyler O’Neill and Ryan Mountcastle have done little. Hard to believe this team played itself out of the race in less than 50 games.

SA: The Mets and the Giants have had a bad three weeks, but for me, the true shock of the season has been the Orioles. They won 101 games two years ago and 91 last season, and all their young stars should be hitting their prime. But other than shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who's been worth 2.4 wins above replacement by Baseball-Reference's calculations, none of those guys is on track for even an All-Star caliber season, let alone the MVP-type campaign we were ready to expect from them. And the organization at times seems to be in turmoil; the front office fired manager Brandon Hyde in May, but GM Mike Elias did not address the decision for three days, and owner David Rubenstein still hasn't. When Hyde was whacked, the Orioles were 15–28; under his replacement, Tony Mansolino, they've gone 22–21. And it's getting late early in Baltimore: First baseman Ryan Mountcastle can be a free agent after next season, catcher Adley Rutschman can follow him the next year, and the rest are not far behind. 

NS: The Orioles endured half a decade of tanking—a run that saw three seasons with 100-plus losses—to put the organization in a position to build a true-blue title contender. Bottoming out like that was supposed to yield more than two playoff runs that ended in first-round sweeps, and now Baltimore is back in a seller’s position as the trade deadline nears. With an interim manager at the helm, the club's leadership is in a state of transition. The urgency will be dialed up to 11 for the front office to somehow chart a path toward a more balanced roster for 2026—otherwise, further leadership changes will likely be quick to follow.

RP: This is a slam dunk. The Orioles entered the season with World Series hype, and the only question was whether they could find an ace before the deadline. Now, everyone expects them to sell as they're languishing in last place in the AL East. 

WL: Yes, the Orioles have been awful, but their downfall was somewhat predictable given their glaring lack of arms. The Atlanta Braves, meanwhile, were widely seen as one of the Los Angeles Dodgers' biggest threats in the NL. Instead, they're likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Spencer Schwellenbach is the latest starting pitcher slated for a long stay on the IL. Michael Harris, Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna all ranked in the bottom 10 of OPS among 183 qualified players in June. They'll need more than a blazing-hot Ronald Acuña Jr. to climb back in the playoff picture, and anything less than a postseason berth would qualify as a massive disappointment for a team that not long ago looked like it could dominate this decade.

3. Which team on top of its division is most vulnerable to losing its lead?

TV: The Yankees. I still believe it’s their division. But the Jays and Rays are not going away. The Boston Red Sox will play thsmselves back into the race in the second half. New York will prevail, but it will be pushed.

SA: Well, the Yankees lead the AL East by only one game over the Toronto Blue Jays, so mathematically, I guess that's the answer. But I believe in the Yankees, even without ace Gerrit Cole, in a way I don't buy the Blue Jays long-term. The Jays have played over their heads, which their +4 run differential reflects; the Yankees have Aaron Judge. It's hard to bet against him. 

NS: It's a tale as old as time: The Philadelphia Phillies can't find the right bullpen combination. Not that the rest of the NL East has really looked impressive—the Miami Marlins' recent hot streak still leaves them 11 games behind first place, the Braves and Washington Nationals remain a mess, and the Mets are in a total tailspin. But New York has too much talent, and the Phillies have too many question marks, for this lead to feel safe. Expect these two financial behemoths to be neck-and-neck all the way through Game 162.

RP: The Phillies will almost certainly make the postseason, but the Mets aren't far behind them and have to be better than they've shown. Right? New York has been rough since mid-June, losing 14 of 17 at one point, but that won't last forever. The roster is too good to be down that long. 

WL: This question had a little more juice to it when posed a few days ago; now, the answer is clearly the Yankees, who are clinging to a one-game lead in the AL East over the Blue Jays and Rays after losing three of four to Toronto. The Red Sox can't be counted out yet, either, despite their bizarre season thus far.

4. Which team not currently in playoff position is most likely to qualify?

TV: The Texas Rangers. The core hitting group of Adolis Garcia, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager are starting to snap out of their early season funks. The Rangers are clicking just in time for Chris Young to find a bat to add to this offense. With Nathan Eovaldi back and Jacob deGrom looking his best in years, Texas has too much elite talent not to make a run.

SA: I will go with the San Diego Padres, who are currently tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL’s last wild-card berth. If the Mets don't fall further into the hole they're digging, the Cardinals, who employ exactly one regular with an OPS over .800 (DH Iván Herrera, .925), could be good for a late-season collapse. 

NS: The middle is very muddled in both leagues, so here's a bet that the Rangers—who have baseball's best ERA at time of writing—can add a bat or two to separate themselves from the pack of less than impressive wild-card contenders.

RP: The Rangers are currently on the outside looking in, but have played much better baseball over the past few weeks. They're chasing down the Seattle Mariners and Rays for the final two wild-card spots, and both teams have serious flaws. A few smart deadline acquisitions could flip the script.

WL: I wasn't a believer in the Giants heading into this season, but the revival of Robbie Ray and the acquisition of Rafael Devers has convinced me that they may have what it takes to eke out a wild-card berth despite their gloomy June (in true San Francisco fashion).

5. What's your World Series pick?

TV: Los Angeles Dodgers over Detroit Tigers. Both teams have nasty stuff on the mound from spots 1–13 on the pitching staff—or in the Dodgers’ case, 1–14 with Shohei Ohtani getting stretched out for October. Dave Roberts and A.J. Hinch are masters at using postseason off days and high leverage bullpen arms to maximum advantage. They look like the best tournament teams.

SA: This is such a boring answer, but until I see some evidence to the contrary, I have to go with the Dodgers over the Yankees. Sorry, everyone.

NS: Dodgers over Tigers. Detroit looks like as complete a squad as there is, but if the Dodgers can reach  semblance of pitching health by the time October comes around, they'll be tough to pick against.

RP: The fact that the Dodgers have the best record in baseball despite getting a combined 52 1/3 innings from Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki so far makes them almost impossible to pick against. I've got them beating the Houston Astros in a rematch of the controversial 2017 World Series. It'll go seven games again. 

WL: I'm far less steady in my conviction in the Dodgers than in spring training, when I thought they had a real chance to break the 2001 Mariners' win record. Their pitching depth has yet again been whittled down to the bone. So I'll take a swing on the Phillies making a big move or two before the deadline to take advantage of their closing title window, and the once-again contending Astros emerging from a weak AL bracket once Yordan Alvarez is back at full strength. In a rematch of the 2022 World Series, this time the Phillies win in six.

With RR needing 18 from 12 balls, Hazlewood conceded only one in the penultimate over and also took two wickets

Ashish Pant25-Apr-20252:12

What makes Hazlewood a much-improved T20 bowler?

Being at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is an experience. When things are going the home side Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) way, one needs to strain his ear to listen to the person next to him inside a soundproof room. When it’s not, the silence can get disconcerting.On Thursday, at the end of the 18th over, the Chinnaswamy Stadium got really quiet. The 30,000-strong crowd had just witnessed their star bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar being thrashed for 22 runs by Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Dhruv Jurel and Shubham Dubey. The RCB chants weren’t ringing around the ground anymore, there were no flags waving. With 18 needed off 12 balls, this was now RR’s game to lose. Were RCB about to go down at home for a fourth straight time? Surely nine an over at the Chinnaswamy is a cakewalk.Enter Josh Hazlewood. A solitary run off the 19th over, two wickets, and RR did not know what hit them. It was a classic case of sticking to the plan: hard lengths mixed with the occasional yorker and change of pace. And just like that, Hazlegod (that’s what the RCB faithful call him) had flipped the narrative again, and the crowd found its voice… big time.Related

RCB finally get the 'monkey off their back' as RR go nowhere

Kohli and Hazlewood break RCB's home duck

Kohli: 'Applied ourselves well after three average games at home'

Parag: We didn't show enough intent against the spinners

Hazlewood has always been a frugal powerplay bowler, and it’s no different in the IPL. His high release points, because of which he generates the extra bounce, coupled with the subtle movement off the deck have often been a nightmare for batters. In IPL 2025, he has also been a death-bowling sensation.Entering the tournament, Hazlewood had bowled 141 balls in the death since the first time he played in the league in 2020. Off those, he picked up 13 wickets at an economy of 10.00. This season, he’s already bowled 59 balls in the death and picked up six wickets. Only Matheesha Pathirana (seven) has more wickets than him, while his economy of 8.23 is the third-best for any bowler with a minimum of five overs in the death.What’s crucial is that Hazlewood seems to have gotten a hang of the Chinnaswamy surface. He had a tough beginning here, going for a combined 83 runs in 6.5 overs in the first two games against Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals. But the rain-shortened game against Punjab Kings, where he almost broke open the game, helped him find a template.ESPNcricinfo LtdAgainst RR, 17 of the 24 deliveries that he bowled were short of a good length, which fetched him wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer and Jofra Archer. It wasn’t the easiest of starts for him here as well, with Jaiswal laying into him (26 off 11 balls), but Hazlewood stuck to that hard-length plan and hit the jackpot.”It’s just sticking to your strengths,” Hazlewood said after his four-wicket burst gave RCB their first win at home. “The bounce here has been quite steep throughout the whole tournament so far and that hard length was still hard to hit, so I was just about mixing it up with, you know, the odd yorker, the odd bouncer, change of pace, so the normal stuff, but it’s just the order in which you apply those balls.”I think for that six to eight metres [length], the strike rate was about 100. If you can hang around there more often than not, bring the batsman forward, without bowling the half-volley, I think that’s the way forward for us.”

“From 18 in the last two overs, it is very much in the batters’ favour and they should win the game from there. I think that almost relieves you a little bit”Josh Hazlewood

But what about the pressure when he is bowling to two set batters with the required rate only at nine an over? “I think it almost takes the pressure off to a degree,” Hazlewood said. “From 18 in the last two overs, it is very much in the batters’ favour and they should win the game from there. I think that almost relieves you a little bit.”[If] you have 25 or 27 to play with, then the pressure is on the bowling team. I felt that I could [be] nice and relaxed, stick to my strengths on this wicket. It was a hard ball to hit that back of a length and then mix it up with the odd yorker. So [I was] happy to execute that and sort of get monkey off the back of that first win at home.”While Hazlewood’s one-run 19th over will remain the talking point, his 17th over was equally important. With RR needing 46 off the last four overs, with six wickets in hand, he got the key wicket of Hetmyer and conceded just six. Those two overs, which went for just seven, softened the impact Bhuvneshwar’s 22-run over created.1:53

Are RCB looking good for the playoffs now?

“I think both those overs showed the class of the guy,” RCB head coach Andy Flower said after the game. “He’s a class operator and he’s a world-class bowler. He is great under pressure in any format of the game, he thinks clearly and he’s got great skill. I know he’s known for his heavy length bowling but he’s got some great all-round skills.”He mixes in those yorkers, wide yorkers, slower balls and he seems to know what type of ball to bowl at the right time. So it’s great having a guy like him in our side, in our squad and part of a very strong three-pronged attack.”Minutes after the dust had settled on the contest, and the players were congratulating each other, the cameras panned to Virat Kohli. There was a sheepish smile on his face as he jogged towards Hazlewood with childlike enthusiasm and then picked him up with the bowler breaking into a wide grin.Out of the 16 wickets Hazlewood has picked this season, 13 have come in the second innings with RCB defending a score. Not all these wickets have come in a winning cause, but in Hazlewood, RCB know they have a rare bowler who can be destructive in the powerplay and the death. Can he be the ticket to their maiden IPL trophy?

Kusal Perera, with just four appearances, gets a mention

Danyal Rasool27-May-2025

Sahibzada Farhan (Islamabad United)

449 runs, 37.41 average, 152.20 strike rate, one hundred, three fifties
Coming off a prolific domestic season, Sahibzada Farhan carried his form into the PSL. A scintillating 52-ball 106 in the second game forewarned of his ascent into one of the league’s elite openers, and he continued that hot streak right through the competition. Three further half-centuries made him the highest run-scorer of the tournament, and gave United devastating power up top.

Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars)

439 runs, 33.76 average, 152.96 strike rate, four fifties
Injuries, age, discontent, talk of retirement plagued his arrival into the tournament. Vintage Fakhar Zaman came out the other end. Second-highest run-getter in the tournament, his fire-starting was absolutely essential to Qalandars’ triumph (and a reminder to Pakistan of his evergreen value).Related

• Mohammad Naeem, and the curious case of PSL's emerging player rule

• Kusal Perera, Sikandar Raza star in record chase to take Qalandars to PSL title

• From Nottingham to Lahore: How Sikandar Raza travelled the world for Qalandars' PSL glory

• There's a value to making Shaheen Afridi feel loved and the PSL has shown that

Kusal Perera (wk) (Lahore Qalandars)

170 runs, 56.66 average, 173.46 strike rate, two fifties
That he makes this list after playing just four games is testament to the outsized impact Kusal Perera had on Qalandars’ title charge. Drafted in as a replacement when the league resumed after a brief suspension, the Sri Lankan played four must-win matches, contributing valuable high-impact runs in each of them. It culminated in a 35-ball 61 in the second qualifier, followed by an unbeaten 31-ball 62 in the final, where he was awarded the Player of the Match as Qalandars lifted the trophy.

Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators)

399 runs, 57.00 average, 162.19 strike rate, one hundred, three fifties
Hasan Nawaz was boom or bust in his debut international series against New Zealand, one century complemented by just one run in the other four innings. He found frightening consistency in the second half of the PSL with Gladiators, though, smashing 313 runs in his final five games for just two dismissals. It included an unbeaten 45-ball 100 against United, a last-ball six to ace a chase against Multan Sultans, and a 43-ball 76 in the final.Shadab Khan made an impact with bat and ball•PCB

Shadab Khan (Islamabad United)

173 runs, 24.71 batting average, 155.85 strike rate, 14 wickets, 16.57 bowling average, 7.9 econ
It was an unspectacular, low-profile but high-performance season for the United captain. Shadab Khan will be disappointed with his team tailing off after an electric start but happy that he seems to be returning to more solid form with the ball.

Sikandar Raza (Lahore Qalandars)

254 runs, 42.33 batting average, 169.33 strike rate, 10 wickets, 17.2 bowling average, 7.75 econ
Another one of Qalandars’ MVPs, Sikandar Raza’s commitment to the campaign was illustrated best by his journey to the final. But he made an all-round impact through the season, in important wins against United, in games against Sultans and, of course, most memorably in the final.

Jason Holder (Islamabad United)

15 wickets, economy rate 9.36, two four-wicket hauls, 69 runs, batting average 34.50, strike rate 164.28
Perhaps things would have been different for United if Jason Holder had been available for the playoffs, because he was unstoppable for the first two-thirds of the tournament. His ability to take wickets, particularly through the middle and later stages of an innings, proved handy for the defending champions time and again, and he was far and away the leading wicket-taker until the league was suspended.Faheem Ashraf was a late pick in the draft, but showed his worth for Quetta Gladiators•PCB

Faheem Ashraf (Quetta Gladiators)

17 wickets, economy rate 11.19, one four-wicket haul, one five-wicket haul, 163 runs, strike rate 155.23
Faheem Ashraf’s star appeared to be fading before this tournament, but his late pick at the draft by Gladiators proved a masterstroke. While extremely expensive, his effect on the side was measured in moments, and his knack of taking wickets in clumps put him close to the top of the wickets charts; only Shaheen Shah Afridi took more. Towards the tail-end of the tournament, he’d found his hitting range too, a couple of blistering cameos helping propel Gladiators to the final, where another high-impact knock took them to within touching distance of glory.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt, Lahore Qalandars)

19 wickets, 16.42 average, 7.76 econ
Clutch much? Ten of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 19 season-topping wickets came in the last four games, including breathtaking opening spells back-to-back in the second qualifier and then the final. A third PSL triumph as captain and one knockout retort to the critics and sceptics.

Abrar Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators)

17 wickets, 19.23 average, 7.34 econ
The league’s best spinner by some distance and one of only two specialist spinners in the top ten wicket-takers. This was arguably the most assured version of Abrar Ahmed we’ve seen. Difficult to get away, never easily read, always a wicket-taking threat.

Luke Wood (Peshawar Zalmi)

11 wickets, average 18.90, economy rate 7.13
In a phenomenally high-scoring season, Zalmi’s Luke Wood found a way to keep batters on a leash. In all phases of the innings, his canny variations backed up by a truly quick stock delivery, made him devilishly hard to put away. No bowler in the league was more economical, and he often had little support from the other end. In a must-win game against Karachi Kings, Zalmi conceded 237; Wood’s figures read 4-0-19-2.

أبدى هوجو إيكتيكي، نجم نادي ليفربول، خيبة أمله الكبيرة بعد تعادل فريقه مع ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مطالبًا زملائه بالهدوء خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ليفربول استمر في نتائجه السيئة وسقط في فخ التعادل الإيجابي 3-3 مع ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أمس السبت، ليزداد الضغط على الريدز.

وعلى الرغم من تعادل ليفربول في لقاء الأمس، إلا أن إيكتيكي تألق وتمكن من تسجيل هدفين ولعب بشكل رائع.

وقال إيكتيكي في مقابلة مع موقع ليفربول الرسمي: ”خيبة أمل كبيرة، لأنني أعتقد أننا كنا مسيطرين على المباراة، تقدمنا 2-0 واستقبلنا هدفًا واحدًا فقط وأعتقد أننا فقدنا بعض الثقة، أقول خيبة أمل لأننا كنا بحاجة للفوز في تلك المباراة”.

وأضاف إيكتيكي في حديثه عن تراجع ليفربول في الشوط الثاني: ”ما يمكنني قوله الآن هو أنه كان بإمكاننا على الأرجح أن نركض بشكل أفضل في الشوط الثاني ليس أكثر”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. قرار هام من إدارة ليفربول تجاه سلوت بعد التعادل أمام ليدز يونايتد

وأوضح: ”أعتقد أن الأمر يتعلق فقط بالفترة الحالية، علينا أن نواصل العمل معًا، وأن نتماسك في هذا النوع من المباريات لأننا نعلم أن الضغط سيكون علينا إذا سجلوا أهدافًا لأنهم يلعبون على أرضهم ولديهم جماهير كبيرة، أعتقد أن علينا فقط أن نتماسك معًا، وأن نركض أكثر من أجل بعضنا البعض وأن نعمل كفريق واحد”.

وأردف: ”أحيانًا تفوز وأحيانًا تخسر، لكن في الوقت الحالي وحتى غدًا، إذا بدأنا بالفوز في كل مباراة نلعبها فعلينا العمل كفريق واحد وأن نكون معًا، هذا ما سيجعلنا نقدم موسمًا رائعًا”.

وعن تمريرة كونور برادلي الحاسمة له في لقاء الأمس: ”لقد مرر لي كرة رائعة، بصراحة، كل ما كان علي فعله هو الإيمان بأن الكرة ستعود لي، ثم عندما تبادلنا النظرات، عرفت أنه سيمررها لي فاندفعت بكل قوتي نحوها”.

واختتم: ”من الواضح أنني خلال تلك الفترة كنت أعرف أنني أسجل أقل وكنت أقل مشاركة في الأهداف والتمريرات الحاسمة، شعرت ببعض الانزعاج لأن المهاجم يريد المشاركة ومساعدة الفريق بتسجيل الأهداف أو تمريرها”.

وأتم إيكتيكي: ”واصلت العمل وأنا سعيد لأنني سجلت اليوم، أريد المزيد وخاصةً الفوز فهو الأهم بالنسبة لي حاليًا، حتى لو لم أسجل أريد الفوز”.

The Savannah Bananas brought their traveling baseball party to legendary Fenway Park in Boston this past Saturday and brought back some special Boston athletes and former Red Sox players to join in on the fun.

One of those guys was Brock Holt, a former infielder who spent seven seasons in Boston and won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2018.

Holt made a dramatic entrance for his at-bat, walking through the stands before making his way to home plate while the sold-out crowd gave him a huge ovation. Then a few moments later, he suffered the unluckiest of outs as a fan caught his foul ball, which per Savannah Bananas rules counts as an out.

Here's the fan robbing Holt of a chance to get a hit in front of a crowd that wanted to see the best for one of their former players. And yes, this guy was immediately booed for doing what he did:

Not cool, dude!

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson must have learned a thing or two from all his experience getting tags down on runners at the plate.

In a Sunday matinée against the Colorado Rockies, he striped a ball to left field that may have gotten to Rockies outfielder Yanquiel Fernández a little too quickly. Stephenson rounded first and dug for second as Fernández fired the ball in for a bang-bang play at the bag.

The one-hopper slightly beat Stephenson to second, but he popped up just after he started to slide in an effort to avoid second baseman Kyle Farmer's tag. He had to put his hands in the air and throw his body back as much as he could in the awkward maneuver to remain untagged. Remarkably, Stephenson was safe and got up with a one-out double.

Definitely one of the best slides of the season just one day before the MLB pauses for its All-Star break. Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. pulled a similar move last week to avoid a tag from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh at the plate to score a run. Maybe Stephenson took some notes.