Category Uncategorized

With Julen Lopetegui's first summer in charge at the London Stadium now well underway, West Ham United's new boss appears to have his eye on a number of new attacking players.

Hammers hope to bring in attacking reinforcements

With forward players the priority for the Hammers this summer, the club have already got one new player over the line in the form of Luis Guilherme. The Brazilian winger arrived at the London Stadium in a £25million move from Palmeiras.

European giants make opening bid for West Ham's £50k-p/w "natural leader"

An important player could be leaving the London Stadium this summer.

ByTom Coates Jul 22, 2024

The Hammers are now looking to follow up the signing of Guilherme by bringing in a new centre forward. Recent rumours have seen West Ham linked with a move for Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin who could be sold this summer in order to satisfy the Toffees' ongoing financial struggles.

Another name in West Ham's sights is Eddie Nketiah who is said to be surplus to requirements at Arsenal this summer. The Hammers are said to be readying a move for the striker who could be available for as little as £25million during the transfer window.

With forward players high on the Hammers' shopping list, the club are now in talks to sign a sought-after talent from the Championship.

West Ham submit proposal for Leeds United star

As first reported on the X account of Fabrizio Romano, West Ham have submitted an initial proposal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United. Romano claims that talks have taken place on the player's side, however, an agreement is still some way from being reached.

The Dutch winger is in demand this summer after contributing 19 goals and nine assists in the regular Championship season last time out. Whilst Leeds fell at the final hurdle in their quest for Premier League football last term, Summerville could soon be playing his football in England's top flight next season.

Recent rumours have seen Newcastle United, Chelsea and Aston Villa all linked with a move for the 22-year-old with the Hammers now throwing their hat in the ring to bring the player to East London. This race for Summerville's signature is to be expected after the winger's exploits in West Yorkshire saw him earn the Championship's Player of the Season award.

Non-penalty goals

0.39

88th percentile

Assists

0.23

85th percentile

Shot-creating actions

6.10

99th percentile

Successful take-ons

2.52

91st percentile

Progressive carries

5.04

93rd percentile

Touches

6.59

97th percentile

Speaking on Summerville's displays in the second tier, Leeds boss Daniel Farke was quick to praise the player's performances telling the press:

"He is playing an outstanding season in terms of performances, end product and also his willingness to work for the team, to be there and deliver on a daily basis even in training, otherwise you can’t deliver consistency in this league.”

With a number of Premier League sides showing an interest in signing Summerville this summer, it could be a fight for the Hammers to get a deal over the line. Despite this, the Dutchman is no doubt a player who could be a quality addition to Lopetegui's side.

The transfer window has been open for over three weeks now, and while there have been plenty of murmurings, Manchester United are yet to make a signing.

The Red Devils have given manager Erik ten Hag a new deal, though, and while no players have come through the door, they have been linked to plenty, such as Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte and, most recently, Joshua Zirkzee.

The Bologna star seems to be the hot name regarding United at the moment, and based on recent reports, he could become the club's first signing very soon.

The latest on Joshua Zirkzee to Man Utd

According to a recent report from The Guardian, the deal to sign Zirkzee is all but wrapped up, except for one key aspect: the payment.

The publication has claimed that United are deliberating on whether to pay his €40m release clause, which would be about £34m, or to make a higher offer that would then allow them to pay in instalments, thus making it easier to pursue other targets this summer.

Whatever route the Red Devils opt to take, they'll be getting a quality striker who looks to have the potential to get even better under the right management.

Last season, the 23-year-old scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in 37 appearances for Thiago Motta's former side, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.94 games.

Moreover, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Dutchman sits in the top 11% of forwards for successful take-ons, suggesting he's more than just a poacher or fox in the box.

There is always an element of risk in signing younger players from another league, but for around £34m, Zirkzee looks like value for money, although he's worth considerably less than United's current number-one striker.

Rasmus Hojlund's valuation in 2024

The star striker in question is none other than Rasmus Hojlund, who, at just 21 years old, will be two years the Dutchman's junior when this transfer eventually goes through, but you wouldn't have guessed that from his valuation.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Danish international is worth up to a staggering €130m, which converts to around £110m, which is a whopping £76m more than the fee Zirkzee could cost United and £38m more than he cost the club last summer.

Now, this is an extraordinary price tag for any player, let alone one who's enjoyed both positive and negative spells in the Premier League over the last year, but there are reasons for it.

Appearances

43

34

21

32

Goals

16

10

12

5

Assists

2

4

4

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.41

0.41

0.76

0.15

First, while he didn't set the world alight in 2023/24, the "exceptional talent", as dubbed by teammate Harry Maguire, did enjoy a relatively successful first season in England, racking up 16 goals and two assists in 43 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 2.38 games for a highly dysfunctional United side that recorded their worst season for over 30 years.

Moreover, in the campaign prior, he scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in 42 appearances for Sturm Graz and Atalanta, and in 18 senior caps, he has found the back of the net on seven occasions and provided one assist to boot, so he's an effective goalscorer when given the chance.

The second reason his valuation is so high is likely because his £85k-per-week contract is set to run for another five years, so there is no pressure on United to sell the 21-year-old or consider renewing his deal.

Ultimately, Zirkzee looks like he will be a great addition to Ten Hag's side, but the club should remember that in Hojluind, they have an incredibly valuable young striker as well.

Fabrizio Romano: Man Utd now close to signing 23 y/o after agent agreement

Are the Red Devils set to bolster a key position?

ByHenry Jackson Jul 8, 2024

The India fast bowler recalls an epic Test tour of England, and reflects on the challenges life has thrown his way

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar26-Aug-20254:33

Breaking down where Akash Deep can improve

In the weeks leading up to India’s recent tour of England, Akash Deep had one thought weighing on him: “How do I survive five Tests?”For over two months, Akash Deep had spent several nights in hospital, attending to his sister Jyoti who was undergoing cancer treatment. Diet and sleep had become luxuries. His training was haphazard. Cricket wasn’t the most important thing in his life at that time.It’s why Akash Deep spontaneously remembered Jyoti and dedicated his 10-wicket haul in his first Test of the series to her, after India made it 1-1 in Birmingham.”It was tough,” he says while in Bengaluru, where he is preparing for India’s home international season. “As such, a five-Test series is not easy. Especially if you’re a fast bowler. And at a time when I had to prepare, I was dealing with a lot of things.”Being in and out of hospital, your diet and sleep often go for a toss. I was actually wondering how do I survive five Tests because even during the IPL because of my sister’s treatment, my training was haywire for one, one-and-a-half months. Luckily, I got time in the lead-up to the series thanks to the India A tour, where I had 10-15 days of preparation. I used that time to prepare well.”It’s been three whirlwind weeks since Akash Deep’s return from England, where he played an important role in India drawing the series 2-2. After a dash home to see his family, he was away on a pilgrimage for ” (peace of mind),” and then visited his ‘AB Cricket Academy,’ which he had begun last year in his hometown Sasaram in Bihar.”When I was growing up, there was nothing here,” he says. “No ground, no practice facility. I didn’t even see a red ball until I was 17-18. My thinking was when I have some money and resources, I’ll try and help kids who aren’t from financially sound backgrounds. So that they don’t have to go too far away to train.”Not being financially strong should not come in the way of living your dreams of playing the game or getting opportunities. I’m glad I’ve been able to realise my dream [of building an academy]. I have a team that looks after most things, but I guide them and insist, if there are kids coming forward from disadvantaged backgrounds and have the talent, they should be prioritised.”Akash Deep took 13 wickets on the tour of England•Getty ImagesAkash Deep’s story is one of courage. Sharing a 150 square feet room with eight others in Kolkata, surviving on (lemon tea) to play club cricket, staying with his cousin in Durgapur in search of opportunities, losing his father and brother in the span of a couple of months, he has seen it all. It’s why he treasures every moment on the field. “If you find even a little happiness amid all your problems, it’s enough to bring a smile.”He wasn’t smiling on that tense final morning at The Oval when he dropped Gus Atkinson at long on and palmed the ball over the boundary for six. England needed 11 after that to win the series, India needed one wicket to draw it.”Maybe I could have tried to palm the ball in to save the six,” he says. “But I went to take the catch. Luckily in the next over (two overs later) we got the wicket [of Atkinson]. Immediately after I dropped the catch, there was really no time to dwell on it. Maybe if something else had happened I may have been thinking about it. Luckily I didn’t have to worry much.”I ran really quickly to Siraj [laughs] once we took the final wicket.”That was just one of several memorable moments involving Akash Deep on the tour. Earlier in the fifth Test, he had put his arm around England opener Ben Duckett and said a few friendly words after dismissing him in the first innings.”He had been out four-five times to me. Before coming out to bat in that innings, he said, ‘this time you won’t get me out’. I got him out and then said, ‘bro, now go and rest please’,” he says with a laugh.There’s a memory from Birmingham that stands out. He’s watched replays of that dream wicket on loop.”Joe Root,” Akash Deep says with a smile. “The way I got him (bowled). Set him up, and got him out exactly the way I wanted to.” For those who don’t remember, he pitched on a good length and angled the ball in, before getting it to nip away and beat the outside edge of Root’s defence to hit the top of off stump.0:42

Tendulkar: Akash Deep to Root at Edgbaston was ‘ball of the series’

Apart from his 13 wickets in the series, he also made a vital contribution with the bat, scoring a half-century after coming in as a nightwatcher in India’s second innings in the fifth Test at The Oval. Akash Deep made 66 in his partnership of 107 with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket, helping India set a match-winning target of 374.”Everyone expects me to contribute with the bat, but I haven’t been able to do it to all the time,” he says. “That innings, I learnt a lot. It taught me to not take my batting casually. When the team needs me, that time I’m motivated.”He also recalls his innings in Brisbane in 2024, when he helped India save the follow-on, to explain what he needs to motivate himself at times. “I think I should put extra pressure on myself as a batter to contribute,” he says. “That’s what it (The Oval innings) taught me. I was just thinking of building a partnership with Yashasvi.”They [his team-mates] were happy because the batters used to taunt us in a friendly way, ‘kabhi toh kuch kardo (can you also contribute once in a while)’, ‘dus to bana do, bees to bana do (make 10 or 20 runs at least)’, so I felt they’ll keep quiet now for some time [laughs].”Akash Deep is now at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, gearing up for the two-Test series against West Indies from October 2. For the first time in months, he has the mental space to breathe, train, and focus on his game. He doesn’t have to go to the hospital at present and he’s enjoying the luxury of being able to stay in the moment and do what he loves most.

Paul Pogba may have his eyes set on a return to football after his doping ban was reduced, but his future at Juventus is far from certain.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Pogba's ban reduced to just 18 months
• Midfielder eyes return to pitch in social media post
• Return to Juventus may not be so simple

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French midfielder had his four-year ban for failing an anti-doping test reduced to just 18 months following a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and could return to playing in March next year. Pogba is still only 31 and will believe he can still play at the highest level for a number of years despite his layoff. However, still contracted to Juventus, it remains to be seen if and when the Old Lady will reintegrate Pogba back into the fold.

Advertisement

• GOAL
  

  THE EXPLANATION

  There is no guarantee that Pogba will play for Juventus ever again. The Bianconeri were quick to snap up Pogba as a free agent from Manchester United in 2022 and the club hoped he would be able to recapture the levels he reached during his first spell at the club that catapulted him to stardom. However, poor performances and the failed drugs test have eroded trust and faith in the player from leaders within the club.

  There is also no guarantee that Pogba would be good enough to play for Thiago Motta's revolutionised Juventus. The club forked out for a new-look midfield in the summer and will not be looking to drop Douglas Luiz, Teun Koopmeiners or Khephren Thuram on Pogba's return.

  Finally, when Pogba returns he will become one of the highest paid players at the club. The midfielder has been earning 'minimum wage' during the duration of his ban, but will begin to earn his €9 million per year salary again following the ban's completion. Many at the club believe shedding Pogba's huge wage bill is a priority, according to .

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Pogba will be able to return to football from March 2025 but the question of where he will return remains. report that it is likely that Pogba and Juventus will try to find a resolution to terminate his deal that runs until 2026. Should the two parties reach an agreement, the midfielder will be able to pick his next club at will and Juventus will be free from the burden of having to pay an outcast millions in wages.

• WHAT NEXT FOR POGBA?

  Pogba will be determined to prove to the world that he is still the same player that the world's biggest clubs were chasing and helped win France the World Cup. The player will be relieved that a possible early retirement has been ruled out and, with a post on X, suggested he is now focused on his comeback.

At a time when the vast majority of people have not seen others regularly, one person has overstayed his welcome over the last three months from the South African point of view. With two hundreds, two fifties, and two forties in nine innings, and a T20I average of 135.50 in 2021, Mohammad Rizwan has been ever-present, and shows no signs of having had his fill.It was Rizwan, who scored 115* to set South Africa a target of 370 in the Rawalpindi Test, which Pakistan won by 95 runs. It was Rizwan, who blitzed his way to a first T20I hundred to set up a three-run win in the first match in Lahore. And though South Africa kept him quiet in the ODIs, today, it was Rizwan’s 74* off 50 balls that helped Pakistan to their highest successful T20I run chase.This time, he got a little lucky upfront. He was dropped in the second over when he hadn’t yet scored, when George Linde put down a difficult return catch.Related

• Patchy South Africa and Pakistan look to get a hand on the trophy with one game to go

• South Africa search for winning formula against charged up Pakistan

• Fakhar Zaman, and the art of turning fortunes around

• Klaasen hopes to be 'positive' and 'streetwise'

• Rizwan and Faheem complete Pakistan's highest successful chase

Then, he got luckier and was gifted deliveries in his scoring zone. Sisanda Magala, on debut, began by angling the ball down the leg side, where, later, South Africa captain Heinrich Klaasen noted Rizwan likes getting the ball. “He hits in a different angle to a normal power-hitter, so, for us, it’s to stay out of his hitting zone, which is quite a lot on the leg side,” Klaasen said.Rizwan scored 58 of his 74 runs on the leg side, including both his sixes and seven of his nine fours. He took advantage of any delivery that was angled in from off stump and he did not seem to be rushed in his approach at any stage.To start with, though, Rizwan had decided he could give himself a sighter, something he picked up after watching Fakhar Zaman score 193 in the second ODI at this ground. “It was a bit of a tricky track in the second innings. Fakhar’s ODI innings was on my mind today, on how to play on this surface by taking some time early on,” he said.His first eight balls brought just four runs before he cleared the front leg to hit another newcomer, Lizaad Williams, over long-on for four. It was another five balls before he found the rope again and continued to pace his innings to meet the situation. Rizwan stayed calm even when Babar Azam was dismissed in the powerplay, and when the required run-rate climbed to over ten an over. He left Zaman to take on Linde, before doing so himself after the halfway mark. Even when Mohammad Hafeez was stumped off Tabraiz Shamsi, and Pakistan needed 79 runs off 41 balls, Rizwan believed they were still in it. “International cricket is always about pressure,” he said. “The message was coming from the dugout to keep going and I knew that we have power-hitters in the middle order for the last overs.”While South Africa scored just 37 runs off the last five overs. Pakistan needed 57 runs in the same period. Beuran Hendricks started that quarter of the innings with two wickets in two balls. But then, he lost his lengths completely and bowled four full-tosses in a row at the start of the 18th over for Rizwan to crack the chase. From off stump, he drove Hendricks over mid-off, midwicket and behind square to score 14 runs off the first three balls and leave the rest of the death bowlers with too much to do.While there are gaps between the talk and the walk, South Africa need not be too hard on themselves•AFP/Getty Images

In the end, South Africa might ask themselves if Hendricks was the right choice to use so close to the end of the innings, especially as Klaasen acknowledged there were probably other candidates: “Magala and Lizaad are two probably our two best yorker bowlers.”Magala bowled the penultimate over and Williams the final one, but Magala had an over in hand and Andile Phehlukwayo, who has been used at the death in ODIs, had two. The problem for Klaasen was not the personnel or the plans. “We just need to execute,” he said.While there are gaps between the talk and the walk, South Africa need not be too hard on themselves. They are playing with second – and in some cases, third – choice players thanks to the IPL and injuries, and they still managed to be competitive. There are selection questions – such as why Kyle Verreynne didn’t play in this game – but there are also experiments which are slowly starting to work. Like Aiden Markram.This is only the fourth time in his last 11 international innings that Markram has gone past 39 and he played with a freedom that has been lacking previously, particularly in the one-day series. There, Markram looked like a million dollars but found ways of getting out just as he got in. Here, he got in and made it count. He pierced the off side in front of and behind square with drives off the front and back foot, and would be disappointed that he didn’t bat through the second half of the innings.But he has made a statement about his attempt to belong. “He has been fighting hard to get back into this white-ball side,” Klaasen said. “In the one-day series, he needed a few runs just to kick on and not get out after good starts. Today, he got that.”Similarly, this was Klaasen’s first international score of over 17 this summer, and first since his difficult journey through Covid-19. Klaasen has been burdened with captaining the depleted T20I side in two series and so perhaps it should not be surprising that he hasn’t been able to build on his Player-of-the-Series performances against Australia last year. In this match, Klaasen showed some authority, with 50 off 24 balls, with four sixes, three of them off short balls that he sent over the leg side. Interesting angles, maybe.

أعلنت رابطة البريميرليج عن الفائز بجائزة رجل مباراة مانشستر سيتي ونيوكاسل في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

والتقى مانشستر سيتي ونيوكاسل اليوم السبت، ضمن مباريات الجولة الخامسة والعشرين للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتمكن مانشستر سيتي من تحقيق الفوز بأربعة أهداف دون مقابل أمام نيوكاسل، ليرفع رصيده للنقطة 44 في المركز الرابع بترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي.

وتوج المصري عمر مرموش لاعب مانشستر سيتي، بجائزة رجل المباراة أمام فولهام، بعد أدائه الرائع في المواجهة.

اقرأ أيضًا | تقييم عمر مرموش بعد تألقه في مباراة مانشستر سيتي ونيوكاسل

مرموش قاد فريقه للفوز، حيث سجل ثلاثة أهداف لصالح مانشستر سيتي في الدقائق 19، 24، و33.

وحصل مرموش على أعلى نسبة تصويت (82.5%) ليحصد الجائزة، وأتى ألكسندر إيزاك لاعب نيوكاسل في المركز الثاني بالتصويت بنسبة (11.8%).

وتعد تلك المرة الأولى التي يحصل فيها مرموش على جائزة رجل المباراة في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وهي المشاركة الثالثة له مع السيتي في البريميرليج منذ انتقاله للفريق في يناير.

Australia will pip India to the post – and set up a final against New Zealand – if England win the fourth Test

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2021The ten-wicket win, well inside two days, in the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad has not only given India an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-Test series, it’s given them a clear shot at qualifying for the inaugural World Test Championship final, to be played at Lord’s from June 18. The result in the third Test also means that it’s now a two-horse race to meet New Zealand in the final – Australia vs India – with England’s hopes lying in tatters.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe target for both India and England, before the series, was to top Australia’s points percentage of 69.17. England, having slipped to 64.1 after the latest reversal, cannot get there, but India can, unless England spoil their party in the final exchange.What India need to do to reach the finalAs things stand, India are actually ahead of New Zealand on points percentage. India have 71.0 (490 overall) compared to New Zealand’s 70.0 (420). In terms of the WTC final, India’s target, even before the series had started, was to earn 70 points – having come into the third Test with 30 points for a win and a loss, they needed to win the series 2-1 or 3-1.They are now at 2-1, but…What if India lose the final Test?There, that’s the only way they can’t make the WTC final, which means that though they are out of the hunt themselves, Joe Root’s boys can be killjoys for Virat Kohli’s team, and make Tim Paine and Co very happy. A 2-1 (with a draw in the final Test) or 3-1 scoreline does the job for India, while 2-2, the only other possibility, isn’t good enough for them.What about the possibility of points being docked…?Related

Pitch debate: Kohli says 'very good', Cook and Strauss disagree

Joe Root: 'A week like this doesn't define us as a team'

As it happened – India vs England, 3rd Test, Ahmedabad, 2nd day

Axar Patel 11-for sees India surge to 2-1 series lead in two-day Test

A 3-1 series win will be perfect for India, and they don’t have to worry about being docked points for slow over-rates or anything else. Australia might have avoided a lot of the uncertainty had they not dropped four points because of a slow over-rate against India in the Boxing Day Test. Had that not happened, Australia would have been level with New Zealand on 70, which would then have brought the runs-per-wicket ratio into play (that is the ratio of the runs scored per wicket lost, and the runs conceded per wicket taken). Australia’s ratio is currently 1.39 while New Zealand’s is 1.28.This means Australia would have stayed ahead of New Zealand, and would have been certain of qualification. Now, they will need England to help them out, if they can.Importantly for India, the WTC rules state that even if the Ahmedabad stadium gets an unfavourable rating from the ICC – the Test got over in under two days, with spinners running amok – the team, India, will not be affected.

The ICC has found UAE players Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar guilty of offences relating to attempted match-fixing during the 2019 T20 World Cup qualifying tournament. The verdict follows a hearing by an independent anti-corruption tribunal, with the ICC saying in a statement that “the pair remain suspended and sanctions will follow in due course”.The two are among UAE’s most experienced international cricketers. Anwar, now 41, is their highest run-getter across the ODI and T20I formats, and 33-year-old Naveed their most prolific wicket-taker and a former captain.Related

• 'Corruptors like weak governance and chaos because it allows them in'

• UAE's Naveed, Shaiman, Qadeer suspended for corruption

• 'I feel guilty' – Naveed accepts he failed to report corrupt approach

• UAE looking into wicketkeeper Ghulam Shabber's disappearance

Naveed and Anwar were charged under the ICC anti-corruption code in October 2019, and suspended days before the start of the qualifiers in the UAE. Naveed, who was UAE’s captain at the time, was stood down from the post.The two have both been found guilty of the following breaches of the anti-corruption code:

• Article 2.1.1 – for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of a match or matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019.
• Article 2.4.4 – failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019.

Naveed, in addition, was also found guilty of breaching the same two codes during the T10 League in 2019, which was also held in the UAE.ESPNcricinfo understands the two players had allegedly stood to make around US$ 272,000 if they had been successful in impacting the outcome of matches during the qualifiers.In October 2019, Naveed accepted that he had failed to report a suspicious approach during the T10 tournament, but claimed he had ended the conversation when he realised the person he was meeting was a “fixer”.

When Daniel Hughes holed out to deep-midwicket one boundary short of a century, he was spitting expletives under his breath as he walked off the field in the final over not because he missed out on three figures, but because he thought he may have just cost his team an unlikely victory. Having done so much heavy-lifting over the previous hour just to drag his team back into contention chasing a lofty target of 194, all of Hughes’ dirty work appeared to have been in vain when Glenn Maxwell induced a catch to Hilton Cartwright on the boundary.But Steve O’Keefe ensured that Hughes’ efforts were not reduced to a footnote on the night. A huge swing to a Maxwell full toss may have missed the bat, but it clipped enough of his thigh to deflect past Ben Dunk behind the stumps and race through third man for the Sydney Sixers’ winning runs with a ball to spare. With his primary death bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile off the field, Maxwell took it upon himself to defend 19 off the final over but was unable to do so. It meant his fiery first innings’ 125-run partnership with Nicholas Pooran was dimmed in defeat as the Melbourne Stars suffered their first loss of the 2020-21 BBL campaign.Daniel Hughes cracked a match-winning 96•Getty Images

Pooran pyrotechnics
The West Indies batsman left a memorable impression on the Gold Coast crowd with a 17-ball half-century. The Stars’ innings had been sedate upon his arrival in the ninth over with the score at 4 for 49, and Pooran similarly got off to a modest start with just four runs off his first six deliveries. But a bouncer to the helmet by X-Factor swap-in fast bowler Gurinder Sandhu stirred Pooran to come to life. The following two balls from Sandhu to end the 12th over were bashed over the leg side rope for six.Maxwell took the cue to call for the Power Surge for the start of the 13th. With pressure from the Stars captain and Pooran, the Sixers’ bowling unit short-circuited through the rest of the innings. The duo plundered 49 from the pair of Power Surge overs, including four sixes in the sequence from Pooran as he cleared long-on twice more, before carving a pair of sumptuous drives over the extra cover boundary. In his maiden BBL innings, Pooran brought up a maiden BBL fifty off just 17 balls with another six over extra cover off Carlos Brathwaite in the 16th. Maxwell took nearly twice as many balls to do the same, highlighting the swiftness of Pooran’s fury as the West Indian dominated their partnership before miscuing a drive off Sandhu to Jason Holder at long-off on the final ball of the 18th.Hughes refuses to lose
The bulk of the heavy lifting by the Stars was done at the back end of their innings. Despite losing wickets early in the chase – including Jack Edwards and James Vince, and both to a short ball plan for ducks – the Sixers’ captain kept his side above the Stars’ early rate, claiming the midway bonus point with an over to spare.Hughes was efficient early in his knock, flicking singles and twos to keep the required run rate in check, before seizing on Adam Zampa in the tenth over to begin his acceleration. He drove the legspinner for a pair of sixes in the over to chase him away from the attack. But brought back with 43 needed off 18, Hughes finished the 18th by sweeping Zampa twice for four and six, sandwiched around a lofted extra cover drive for another six, to bring the equation down to a very manageable 23 off 12.See-saw finish
Liam Hatcher produced a tidy 19th over, conceding just three runs while taking two wickets to put the Stars on the cusp of victory. Soon, Brathwaite driving to Maxwell at long-on and a yorker to bowl Ben Dwarshuis three balls later left Hughes with just a pair of tailenders to get his side over the line with 20 required off the final over.After a first ball six conceded by Maxwell to Hughes over long-on, Nick Larkin was the center of attention for a pair of gaffes at deep-backward square leg. Hughes flicked the second ball in the air toward Larkin, who went for glory trying to dive forward for a catch but the ball failed to carry, instead winding up to take a carom off his body in the process of going into the rope for a boundary. On the next ball, Hughes tried to muscle a full toss over Larkin, who tried to parry the ball back to Cartwright running over to assist from deep midwicket. However, he wound up flubbing the relay as the ball drooped into ground for another six. A two-ball sequence that at worst could have been limited to two runs ended up producing ten, as the equation turned into four off three balls to win for the Sixers.Maxwell darted a half-volley into the legs for Hughes to crack on the next ball, but despite plenty of power there wasn’t enough elevation to clear Cartwright. Last man Sandhu joined O’Keefe in the middle with both yet to face a delivery. O’Keefe failed to capitalise on another Maxwell full toss by swinging over it with the bat, but a delivery that deserved to go for four runs ultimately did so off the pads.

The T20Is will be played just before WPL, and act as preparation for the T20 World Cup next year

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2025India and Sri Lanka are set to play a five-match T20I series in the second half of December in India, just before the start of the WPL in January 2026. The series will be played from December 21 to 30, with the first two games in Visakhapatnam and the last three in Thiruvananthapuram.The WPL will then start from January 9 in Navi Mumbai before moving to Vadodara for the second half, even though no Sri Lanka player is in any of the five WPL squads.The schedule of this bilateral series comes soon after the white-ball series between India and Bangladesh that was to happen in India in December got postponed earlier this month. That series was to feature three ODIs and three T20Is.The five T20Is between India and Sri Lanka will act as preparation for the T20 World Cup next year that will be played from June 12 in England. The last time the two teams had met in any format was at the ODI World Cup opener on September 30, while the previous T20I between them had come at the T20 World Cup in October 2024.India’s next series after the WPL will be an all-format tour of Australia in February-March.